Westport
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EverythingWestport.com
Wednesday,
January 18, 2012
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Article Index . . .
Senators Call To Freeze
Unemployment Insurance Rate.
DA Sutter throws his hat in the ring for the 9th
congressional district.
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Senators
Call To Freeze Unemployment Insurance Rate. Measure would save hundreds per employee for
businesses EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
January 18, 2012 BOSTON - Yesterday, Senator Michael Rodrigues
(D-Westport), along with Senators Barry Finegold
(D-Andover) and Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) asked
Senate President Therese Murray to pass legislation that would freeze the
Unemployment Insurance rate at its current level, a measure that would save
businesses close to $400 million statewide. If the Senate does not act, businesses could see
an increase of up to 40 percent in the taxes they pay into the state’s
unemployment insurance trust fund. That is an increase of hundreds of dollars
per employee. “As a small business owner, I understand the
challenges many employers face on a day-to-day basis and believe it is very
important we prevent a sharp increase in the Unemployment Insurance rate from
harming our small businesses and stifling job growth,” said Rodrigues. “Given
our desire to confront the issue of Massachusetts-only business costs, we
will need to continue focusing our efforts on policies that will grow our
economy and create a better business climate.” “The economy in Massachusetts is slowly
recovering, but we do not want to jeopardize the progress we’ve made. The
state is taking a great step to further this progress in reducing the
corporate income tax rate. I am pushing to freeze the Unemployment Insurance
rate because it is a crucial step in continuing to move our economy in the
right direction and protecting our small businesses,” said Finegold. “This bipartisan effort transcends district
lines and will be beneficial to business communities statewide.” “As a small business owner, I understand the challenges many employers
face on a day-to-day basis and believe it is very important we prevent a
sharp increase in the Unemployment Insurance rate from harming our small
businesses and stifling job growth.” Senator Michael Rodrigues. “Unemployment insurance is a burdensome cost for
employers already, and a major increase in rates would cause serious damage
as we work to emerge from the depths of the recession,” said Tarr. “Senate Republicans have repeatedly called for
substantial reforms in this area, and will continue to do so. Yet until they
are enacted, we cannot allow a rate increase that will prevent people from
returning to work.” Although freezing the unemployment insurance rate
at the 2011 level will limit the rate increase, employers may see a small
increase due to the formula that takes into account the overall level of
unemployment. The latest numbers from November 2011 has Massachusetts at 7
percent unemployment. Intends
to Present Legislative Solution to Full Committee for Consideration EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
January 18, 2012 Today, Senator Michael J.
Rodrigues (D-Westport) and
Representative Lori A. Ehrlich (D-Marblehead),
the respective Vice-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce
Development, will announce the creation of a working group on independent
contractor and employee classification at a meeting with invited
stakeholders. The working group will bring together interested stakeholders
from all sides of the issue to find a practical and reasonable solution to
this vexing policy problem. Facing a number of bills and
differing views over the issue of independent contractor and employee
classification, Committee Chairs Senator Chair Dan Wolf (D-Harwich) and Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera
(D-Springfield), have appointed
their respective Vice-Chairs to lead a working group to develop a fair and
reasonable definition of an independent contractor vis-a-vis an employee. “We thank Senator Wolf and
Representative Coakley-Rivera for giving us the
opportunity to lead this working group. We are excited to work with all of
the stakeholders and we will listen carefully to all points of views. Our
goal is to craft a proposal that strikes a balance allowing legitimate
independent contractors the opportunity to work, while ensuring businesses
don’t skirt their responsibility of acting as responsible employers,” said
Senator Rodrigues and Representative Ehrlich. “As the Senate Chair of the
committee, the issue of how to classify independent contractors correctly has
been an important issue on Beacon Hill, and also a topic of concern
throughout my district. I’m confident the working group led by Senator
Rodrigues and Representative Ehrlich will explore this issue and will present
a solution to the Committee that will prevent employee misclassification and
allow legitimate independent contractors to prosper,” said Senator Wolf. The 2004 law, sighted as
confusing to both business and workers, has brought unintended consequences
to a diverse group of professions, including accountants, artists, couriers,
financial planners, graphic designers, publishers, realtors and others. The Committee has charged
Senator Rodrigues and Representative Ehrlich with reviewing the numerous
positions received by the Committee and ensuring a final document provides a
balanced path towards rectifying the issue of employee misclassification. The working group will convene
periodic meetings with stakeholders and accept additional public comment over
the next few months and hope to provide the Joint Committee on Labor &
Workforce Development with legislative language shortly thereafter. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
January 18, 2012
Registration is now open for the fifth
annual conference presented by the Southeastern Mass. Agricultural Partnership
(SEMAP) and Bristol County Conservation District. This all-day event will
feature an information-packed range of 18 workshops geared toward both
professional farmers and local food-focused members of the public, plus a
special series of workshops on organic practices, and three youth sessions
for children ages 9-12. Planned offerings include: three workshops
by Will Bonsall of the Scatterseed
Project; sessions on the business of farming, including marketing, land leasing
and institutional sales; and new organic track workshops developed in
partnership with NOFA/Mass and made possible by a USDA Specialty Crop Block
Grant and Mass Grown & Fresher. Also on the schedule is a Resource Fair
where you can learn about organizations and businesses helping you to grow, a
locally-sourced lunch, and a seed swap. Registration for this day-long event is
only $50 for the public, and $35 for farmers. SEMAP members receive a 10%
discount. Why not bring a friend? For more information on workshops and
activities, visit www.semaponline.org.
You can register online by visiting the website or calling SEMAP at
508.295.2212 x50. DA Sutter throws his hat in the
ring for the 9th congressional district. EverythingWestport.com Thursday, January 19, 2012 Bristol County
District Attorney Sam Sutter announced Wednesday, January 11th that he will
form an exploratory committee to consider a run for the 9th District seat in
the U.S. House of Representatives. An official
announcement on Sutter's candidacy is expected next month, but the two-term
district attorney made no secret of his plans. “I’m in, I’m running,”
Sutter said after the exploratory committee was announced.
Recently, Bristol
County Sheriff Tom Hodgson announced he would not seek the U.S. congressional
seat. In his statement,
Sutter said he is unhappy with the current Congress and sees a need for “a
strong voice and catalyst for change,” which he said he can provide. Inset: District Attorney Sam Sutter visits with the
Westport ROMEOs while running for reelection in 2010. "I have decided to run because I
believe, like so many Americans, that dramatic change is needed both in the
approach and in the atmosphere presently existing in Congress.," Sutter
said. "The gridlock, which we all watched
with dismay this summer when Congress confronted the national debt ceiling
and again this fall when the “Super Committee” could not reach an agreement,
is precluding our ability to address and solve the most pressing issues
before us: the economy, job creation, the national debt, the health care
crisis, our dependence on foreign oil and other critical problems. Based upon
my record as Bristol County District Attorney, I am positive I can be a
strong voice and catalyst for the change that is needed." Sutter has
lived and worked in this region since 1977, the year after he
graduated from college. He lived on Cape Cod before moving to Bristol County
and has worked as a practicing attorney in the courthouses from Orleans to
Barnstable to Falmouth to Plymouth and Wareham. And, he have worked as both
an assistant district attorney and district attorney in New Bedford and Fall
River. "It would be a profound privilege to be
the first person to represent this new regional district in the House of
Representatives in Washington. I look forward to a vibrant campaign about
vitally important issues," Sutter said. A Sutter campaign
website also went live Wednesday at www.samsutter.com. Sutter said he will be
prepare a more detailed statement on key issues as he moves toward a formal
announcement. Barney
Frank calls it quits after 32 years.
Inset: U.S. Representative Barney Frank speaks last
year to the Westport ROMEOs. The 71-year-old
polemical Frank, a 16-term member of Congress and among the most liberal of
its representatives, announced at a Bay State press conference Monday
afternoon that he will not seek re-election. The Boston Globe cited
a source close to Frank as saying a big reason for his decision is the
redrawing of his district, which will add more conservative voters and drop
the heavily Democratic city of New Bedford. Frank would have to
make his pitch to over 300,000 new constituents. Frank was a friend to
Westport, finding Federal money for many in-town projects such as dredging
Westport Harbor and helping the local fishing industry. Until recently, Frank
was assisting Westport in obtaining a Wild and Scenic River designation for
the Westport River watershed sought by local environmental and conservation
groups. What will life be like
after Frank?
U.S Representative Barney Frank, the
longtime Newton democrat, will depart the southcoast
and Westport because a new congressional district was created that will
include Cape Cod, Buzzard Bay coastal communities including Westport, and a
large part of Plymouth County. This incumbent-free, new 9th district may
draw Republican and Democratic candidates alike as Bristol district attorney
Sam Sutter is considering a run, and
Bristol County sheriff Tom Hodgson hasn't ruled out being a candidate. Incumbent Democrat William Keating of the
now defunct 10th congressional district is moving to his Hyannis home and has
announced he will run for the new district rather than face Quincy incumbent
Stephen Lynch. Don't count out outgoing New Bedford mayor
Scott Land who has said he hasn't ruled out a potential run either.
Newly-elected Fall River's mayor Flanagan has expressed interest in the past,
but has said he will not seek the seat. The new redistricting plan unravels decades
of political gerrymandering. 2010 U.S census figures, reflecting slow
population growth compared to other states, now support only nine
congressional district, so Massachusetts had to restructure, dropping one
from the existing 10. The redistricting map, which is expected to be formally
approved by state lawmakers on Tuesday, November 15. How will Westport be served with a new
congressman? EverythingWestport.com Friday, January 20,
2012
He was appointed to
the Conservation Commission in 2008 and says he worked to change the tenor of
that Board at a time when it was mired in litigation and controversy. He said
he worked at improving the oversight of the board, balancing the budget and
creating a policies and procedures manual codifying the way the Board works
with the public during its various permitting processes. “After conducting
business with ConCom while renovating our home, I
recognized that I could make a contribution by volunteering and bringing a
business perspective to the department,” Mr. Sullivan said. “In the end, I
think the most fulfilling aspect of my ConCom
experience has been working with my fellow Commissioners to bring civility
back to our biweekly meetings and restoring public confidence in the fairness
and consistency of the Board’s decisions.” Mr. Sullivan was
raised in Stoughton and Westwood. He obtained a bachelor of science degree in
mechanical engineering from the University of New Hampshire. He worked in
Detroit for 10 years in technical sales as an automotive account manager. He and his family returned
to Massachusetts in 1989 when he founded Rotating Measurement Systems, Inc.,
an automotive test equipment company. He has worked for Teledyne Technologies
in Marion for the past 12 years and is currently the director of operations. His goals, if elected,
would include, “First to represent the interests of the town in a manner that
is fair, civil and transparent. I am hopeful that voters will recognize that
I have acted with the level of professionalism necessary to address the many
decisions a selectman is called upon to make. Second, make
thoughtful appointments of independently minded volunteers to the almost 200
positions in town government. “It is important that people bring a sense of
cooperation to their respective boards and exhibit a willingness to disagree
amicably.” “And finally, I am
committed to be respectful of the voter’s right to be presented with clear
and unambiguous ballot questions for those larger decisions that are beyond
the authority of the Board of Selectman.” A frequent visitor to
town over the past 20 years, Mr. Sullivan and his wife Martha made Westport
their home in 2007. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan
have two children, 25 and 19 years of age. He and his family enjoy boating,
fishing and scuba diving in the area. Mr. Sullivan is also a motorcycle
enthusiast. © 2012 Community Events of Westport. All rights
reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
